Katrina's Jewish Voices

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FlorenceSchornstein

While Katrina was devastating to New Orleans, Florence Schornstein holds on to the hope that the disaster can galvanize the community to fight for change.

Florence Schornstein’s activism began in the civil rights movement, where she helped with efforts to register voters and integrate schools. She was also active in the Jewish community as president of the National Council of Jewish Women from 1968–1970. But the main focus of her career had always been New Orleans itself, beginning with her appointment as director of the City’s Parks and Parkways Department in 1980. After Katrina, she mobilized the community through Parkway Partners’ ReLeaf New Orleans to plant and tend trees in public spaces, replacing the greenery lost to the storm. She also worked to restore infrastructure as a member of the Sewerage and Water Board and helped rebuild childcare centers throughout the city.